


Guilt

by Commonswift



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s03e13 Cassandra's Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29060604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Commonswift/pseuds/Commonswift
Summary: Cassandra's Revenge AUVarian tried to put on a brave face but he was so much scared of what Cassandra would do to him, he didn't know that she wasn't willing to cross a line.He didn't know her true intentions weren't what they seemed.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	Guilt

**Author's Note:**

> Part of another story that came to me last week and I am filling on the write it later pile...which might come after "Stuck in place" is done, I haven't decided it yet as there are other fics in line.
> 
> This can be read as its own one shot and is more of a Varian p.o.v of this event so I decided to post it.

Varian woke up tied up to the remains of a wooden pillar, completely confused about his whereabouts

"Aggh" his eyes meet the unnatural cyan ones of his former crush casually sitting on some ruins right across him "Hi!" wait she knocked him out and kidnapped him, he could see the contents of his bag all around her in tidy piles, she went through his stuff! His eyes narrowed in a glare "Where are we?" he demanded to know

"I need that third incantation Varian" she cut right to the point, not even bothering to answer him.

"Never" his own answer was a definitive refusal to tell her anything and he didn't even have to think about it, his mouth just formed the words on its own accord.

Not, that he didn't agree.

"I knew you would say that" Cassandra rose to her feet and went closer, Varian tried to scramble back as dark thoughts on what she would do him to get what she wants entered his mind.

Was she going to torture him?

No matter what he wasn't going to talk, Corona's safety was on the line and he wasn't going to be the one to put the kingdom in danger.

The citizens had just started to trust him again.

"I guess I will have to do it the hard way, like always"

He shut his eyes and prepared for whatever pain Cassandra was going to put him through.

But nothing happened.

All he could feel was the rope's pressure on his wrists being removed.

He looked at his freed hands in disbelief and confusion, and then he jumped out of fear as the reins belonging to a palace horse were thrown at him

"Go home, the horse already knows the way" Cassandra walked away from him.

He couldn't just do as she said and let her walk away, no matter how much he wished to run back to his father.

"Wait!" he grabbed her blue gloved hand to stop her, he had to do something to stop her from making his mistake.

She still didn't do anything irreparable, there was still time, he just had to convince her to give up the Moonstone and make up with Rapunzel.

Everything will go back to those happy days before the black rocks ruined their lives.

"You changed your mind?" Cassandra asked without even turning to face him

"What? No!" he was taken back by the question but was quick to make it clear he had no intention of giving up the incantation.

"Then we have nothing to talk about" she freed her hand from his grip and resumed her walk

"Cassandra please, trust me I know this feels right, but it isn't" she stopped and was looking at him over her shoulder, good she was listening, it was his chance "tonight you stopped yourself, but soon you will lose sight of what's right and lose everything" no reaction, he had to try harder "Please you don't have to be a villain"

"I don't?" Cassandra turned to face him, Varian smiled thinking he had gone through her

"Yes! You don't, I know Rapunzel will forgive you, you just have to apologize and give up the Moonstone!"

"you think so" the way her eyes glared at him as her words hit him made Varian's blood freeze in his veins and he started to unconsciously back away from her "you say I am not a villain, yet you are covering in fear before me"

How could simple words be so terrifying?

"I-I...y-you" he shuttered out words his brain unable to form a coherent response, then Cassandra stepped towards him, her hand touching the pommel of her sword and his body simply reacted.

He fell back ways and dragged himself away, ending up curled in a ball as he reached the very same wood pole he had been tied to a mere minutes before.

"You are wrong, it is too late" he could hear Cassandra moving and he curled into a tighter ball "I lost everything and your highness made a villain out of me"

He was going to die! He was going to die!

She was going to kill him!

Something nudged him, Varian jumped to the side letting out a blood curling scream, his eyes wide with terror.

He calmed down once his mind registered it was just the horse; he fanatically looked around for Cassandra, his heart beating like crazy.

She was nowhere to be seen.

It took a few minutes to calm himself down and get back to his feet, his cheeks colouring out of shame as he felt the wet spot between his legs.

He was such a coward, now Cassandra was outright convinced she was a villain and it was all of his fault.

He didn't even know when he wet himself.

Yet something was off as the Demanitus's scroll and all of his things were still here, he was sure of it as everything was accounted for and stored in his bag.

Why would Cassandra leave without the scroll and any of his useful chemicals?

He paled as he remembered he had a vial of truth serum in his bag.

Shame hit him twice.

Cassandra had the chance to get the incantation out of him, but didn't, instead she just asked him and left him alone after he refused.

In return he acted as if she was some kind of monster ready to kill him.

Sure she knocked him out, but how could he think so low of her?

It was still just Cassie.

_I guess I will do it the hard way, like always_

What did she mean with those words?

Varian couldn't stop thinking about it as he let the horse guide him back.

He didn't dare to dirty the saddle by sitting on it, so he just walked holding the reins, his head low.

Something wasn't right and there was nothing he could do to fix it.

It was like with his experiments.

Something always went wrong with new formulas because he didn't know it could have that reaction and needed to work it over and over again till he got the result he wanted.

However this time Varian felt he had wasted his only shot and there wouldn't be another try.

_Turns out Cassandra is Gothel's daughter so to make Mummy proud she stole the Moonstone and betrayed us all_

He had let Eugene explain Cassandra's absence with those curt words, now he regrets not having pressed for more details.

Had Varian know more maybe he could have done something.

Yet he a tiny part of him was whispering that this was a matter only Rapunzel could have solved.

Weeks later when Rapunzel suddenly lost her Sundrop powers and the all the black rocks disappeared as a bright light ascended to the stars, Varian was sure this was Cassandra's plan all along.

He didn't say anything, but his suspicion was proven right when a message from the Keeper of the Spire congratulated Rapunzel for defeating the Guardian and succeeding in her quest.

He had prepared a hot air balloon for Eugene and Rapunzel to use reach the Spire and talk to the Keeper, Calliope, he didn't even have the courage to come along.

_I guess I will do it the hard way, like always_

A sinking feeling in his chest told him he should have given up the incantation, while his logic told him he was right to say silent.

Yet when the Princess came back cradling a little bundle of linen, her face stained in tears as well as Eugene's, he knew the worst had happened.

Varian didn't even have to hear the full story.

He knew it was his fault.

Cassandra was dead, but she wouldn't be if it wasn't for him.

**Author's Note:**

> I fully know Varian isn't to blame in this situation, what he did was the right and most logical choice with the facts presented to him.  
> Cass's approach was all wrong, but she does have her reasons to act this way.
> 
> The linen bundle is a direct reference to the first episode of Attack on Titan, when a Mother comes asking for her son Moses and she's presented with bundle...an arm which was all it was left of him.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, commenting and leaving kudos.
> 
> You can all expect a new chapter for "Stuck in Place" to come up bethween today and tomorrow, "Living Armor" to come up next.


End file.
